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CULTURE OF SEA-KALE. 



CULTURE OF THE SEA-KALE. 



BY D., LONDON. 



There is no vegetable which we are more 

 desirous of seeing in general cultivation, 

 and which is less common in this country 

 than the Sea-Kale. The following sensible 

 practical directions for growing it, from the 

 Gardener's Chronicle of Oct. 16, are there- 

 fore transferred at once to our columns — 

 Ed. Hort. 



The time is now not far distant when 

 gardeners will begin to turn their attention 

 to their Sea-kale beds, with a view to win- 

 ter-forcing ; many will even be preparing to 

 have a cutting ready for Christmas. If a 

 gentleman give orders to this effect, they 

 must be obeyed ; but it appears almost an 

 improvident extravagance to consume the 

 vegetable so early in the season, while 

 there is such an abundance and variety of 

 others still remaining in the garden ; one 

 in particular, (celery, if stewed,) quite sup- 

 plying its place upon the table. The time 

 when Sea-kale comes in most acceptably 

 is during March and the beginning of 

 April, when we are tired of winter greens, 

 and have forgotten the taste of Cauliflow- 

 ers. By growing it on the following plan, 

 it may then be had at less expense and 

 trouble, and of far finer quality, than that 

 produced by any method of forcing ; and 

 no one who gives it a fair trial, will after- 

 wards relinquish it for main crops, although 

 he may still choose to force a certain quan- 

 tity for earlier supplies. 



The Seakale bed is to be planted, in 

 March in straight rows, five feet asunder; 

 the plants in each row to be eighteen inches 

 apart. It is, of course, understood that the 

 ground be thoroughly trenched and manur- 

 ed as usual. Something, but not much, is 

 gained by obtaining year old plants from 

 the nursery, instead of sowing the seed in 

 the rows, there to remain. By the firstjme- 

 thod, you have a larger cutting the ensuing 

 spring ; but you may cut from your seed- 

 ling plants, which will have sufl'ered no 

 check by removal, and will grow with cor- 

 responding vigor. 



Some time in December, not too soon, 

 when the footstalks of the leaves have fair- 

 ly separated themselves from the crown of 

 the plants, heap over each about a quarter 

 of a peck of sea sand or wood ashes ; if 

 not to be had any light unmanured soil will 

 do. Then earthup the plants from a trench 

 dug along the space between the rows, ex- 

 actly as if you were earthing up celery, 

 only that no leaves appear above the top of 

 the mound. The earth should be heaped 

 up till it is about two feet above the crowns 

 of the plants, and then flatted down with 

 the back of the spade, and the whole made 

 very smooth and neat. The long trench 

 between the rows of Sea-kale will act as a 

 drain during the dead time of winter. In 

 the spring, when the shoots begin to push, 

 large cracks will be seen in the bank of 

 mould, and a trial may be made with a 

 trowel, as soon as they are supposed to be 

 sufficiently advanced for cutting. 



The Seakale thus obtained is larger, 

 more succulent, and more delicately flavor- 

 ed than that blanched under pots. In one 

 case the growing shoot is constantly in con- 

 tact with the damp mould, and absorbs 

 moisture instead of parting with it. In the 

 other the kale is subject to all the influen- 

 ces of air, though excluded from those of 

 light, from which, however, it is only pro- 

 tected by a porous, imperfectly closed ves- 

 sel. All the expense of pots and manure 

 for forcing is saved ; and the only objection 

 to the adoption of this plan in all cases, is, 

 that the crop comes in too much at once. 

 But by havmg rows of Kale in different 

 exposures, a difference of at least ten days 

 may be made ; and a few plants at the 

 foot of a south wall, earthed up from the 

 border, and merely so covered with mould 

 that it slopes against the wall, will afford a 

 very early gathering. 



No second cutting should be attempted ; 

 not so much for fear of weakening the 

 plants, as because the weak shoots thus 

 obtained are comparatively worthless. The 

 earth should be levelled into the trenches, 

 exposing the crowns of the plant, and by 



